Guyana recently participated in a major initiative aimed at empowering 100 million small-scale farmers across the world through regenerative agriculture training. Regenerative agriculture entails restoring degraded soils, increasing biodiversity, and allowing farmers to access better market opportunities.
The programme, launched jointly by Bayer, a global science and agriculture company, and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), focuses on providing online courses in five languages, including Swahili and Hindi, to promote sustainable farming practices.
The initiative targets farmers in the Americas, Africa, and India, aiming to boost food security, protect the environment, and support rural communities’ socioeconomic development.
During the launch event, Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, underscored the importance of regional collaboration. He said, “It is important for Latin America and the Caribbean to build bridges with India and Africa through IICA.
“We face similar challenges related to climate, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. Regenerative agriculture provides a sustainable solution tailored to the local context. By working together, these regions can increase their resilience and food security.”
IICA’s Director General, Manuel Otero, highlighted the long-term importance of science and innovation in transforming rural areas. He stated that “the transformation that will take place over the next 25 years will be so profound, they will be as disruptive, or even more so, than those that have occurred over the past 10,000 years.” Overall, he said the partnership aims to professionalize farmers and enable them to take a leading role in sustainable development.
The launch also reaffirmed the commitment of Bayer and IICA to support small farmers and promote environmentally friendly agriculture practices worldwide.
